


Date Night

by Fancy Lads Snacks (Filthy_Bunny), Katlen, Morninglight (orphan_account), syrenpan, tess1978



Series: The Sisterhood Writes [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Awkward Romance, Bad Luck, Cockblocking, Dating, F/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-24 21:15:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6167062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filthy_Bunny/pseuds/Fancy%20Lads%20Snacks, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlen/pseuds/Katlen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Morninglight, https://archiveofourown.org/users/syrenpan/pseuds/syrenpan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tess1978/pseuds/tess1978
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Paladin Danse wants to date Nora. So he tries taking her on several dates, with varying degrees of success.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Danse gets Gussied Up by tess1978

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collaboration between me and a few other authors. Each of us will post our own chapters with no idea of what comes before or after until it's posted. We have no idea how this is going to go.

Paladin Danse knew how to compartmentalize his feelings. He was so good at it, in fact, that he followed Nora around for months before he even acknowledged to himself that she was actually a woman, and not just some androgynous shape in power armour.

Not that she ever wore power armour. 

But still. It was a sunny morning in Sanctuary, and she stepped out of her house and onto the street, dressed in soft loose pants and a thin white t-shirt (and clearly nothing underneath) and padded barefoot up to the newly constructed cookhouse to get some tea. 

The morning sunshine glinted off her hair and caught his eye, and she gave him a sweet smile and a little wave before turning and walking away from him up the street. Her backside stretched her pants just so as she walked.

It wasn’t until she disappeared inside the cookhouse that he realized he’d been staring the whole time… and something was stretching his pants too. 

He felt his face grow hot and he turned back to the workbench, and looked blankly at the gun he was working on. 

After a week went by, he was no longer able to compartmentalize his feelings for Nora. His eyes followed her everywhere she went, and he’d started noticing all the little things she did that made him like her so much. Like when she played with the dog, or lined up a shot against mole rats when they reinfested the gas station, or when she messed around at the armour bench. He didn’t know why he liked that, but he did. 

Probably because of how she bent over just so as she worked....

Danse stopped himself mid thought. It wasn’t polite.

He knew Nora was lonely, and as they traveled around the Commonwealth clearing out filth and aiding settlers, she talked sometimes about someday settling down and having a relationship or maybe even a family again. That made Danse wonder if maybe she would be interested in a relationship with him. 

_Nothing ventured, nothing gained,_ he thought. 

Trained for years as a tactician, Danse never did anything without a plan. But in this case, he had no clue on how to start a relationship with someone. So he swallowed his pride and decided to ask for advice. 

He turned to the one person he knew wouldn’t laugh at him, despite...unfortunate… comments Danse may have made in the past. The one person whose name was nearly synonymous with love. 

Nick Valentine.

***

“Well,” began Nick. “You should ask her to do something romantic. Like a nice walk along the water, look at the sunset. And then bring her flowers when you pick her up. And make sure you’re dressed in your best.”

So Danse took the advice to heart. He went to the garden and collected some gourd blossoms. They were big and orange and floppy, but they were still flowers. He ignored the pollen falling off them and staining his hands.

Then he went and found his nicest outfit. He wanted to look his best so he carefully cleaned it and then examined it for anything out of place before donning it. 

And then he licked his hand and smoothed down his hair a little, without checking in a mirror. 

Satisfied, he made his way to Nora’s door and knocked. 

***

Nora was scrubbing two hundred year old grime from her kitchen cabinets when the knock came. She wiped her hands on her filthy jeans and opened the door to find herself facing a wall of metal. She craned her head up to see Paladin Danse standing there, his hair oddly slicked down. For some reason he was wearing power armour in Sanctuary at four in the afternoon. 

“Hello? Danse? Can I help you?”

He pulled something out from behind his back. It was a wad of wilted gourd blossoms, and there was pollen coating his gauntlet to the wrist.

Dance cleared his throat. “I would be honoured if you would take a walk with me along the riverbank this evening.” he said. He held the flowers closer to her face.

Nora looked at him, then looked at the flowers, and then sneezed. Several times.


	2. Danse Gets Personal, by Fancy Lads Snacks

The detective held a fist to his mouth, shoulders shaking. It was a few seconds before Danse realised he was laughing.

“I didn’t share this for your amusement, Valentine,” Danse said, scowling.

Nick sat back in his chair and let his laugh ring out, metal hand clutching his stomach. “I’m sorry, Danse,” he replied at long last. “I’m not laughing at you. It’s just—oh boy, what a situation.”

Danse shifted from one foot to the other. He could feel his ears glowing red. “The situation was not in the least entertaining,” he insisted. “The pollen caused a severe allergic reaction. Her eyes were streaming so hard that Curie had to give her a shot.” He ignored the choking sound from Valentine’s direction and glared out the window. “I feel like such a fool.”

“Don’t be disheartened,” Valentine said at last. “Look, we can try something different. Maybe hearts and flowers aren’t your thing. You’re a straight-shooting kind of guy. If you just tell her how you feel, she won’t laugh at you.”

Danse shook his head. “I’ll only say the wrong thing,” he mumbled. He had no doubt she would be kind. But if she didn’t feel the same, he couldn’t bear to look into her eyes and see disappointment or pity.  

Valentine joined him at the window. Danse saw his shrug out the corner of his eye. “There may be a way around that,” he said.

*

Two days later, Valentine strolled in with a rolled-up copy of _Publick Occurrences_ under his arm. He laid it out on the table in front of Nora next to her Sugar Bombs and tea.

“Something on page six that might interest you,” he said casually. He tipped his hat to Danse before sauntering off.

Danse flushed and quickly got up from the table. He didn’t want to be here when she actually read it.

Nick had convinced him Nora would like this idea. She loved a good mystery, he’d said, and the personal ads in the local paper had been a sweet way to reach out to someone back in the day. Danse had written the ad and Nick had placed it at the paper anonymously in time for that week’s edition when he’d headed to Diamond City the following day.

_Lady in Blue_ , it read. _You have melted this soldier’s heart of steel. Let me provide sanctuary for yours, too._ He had agonised over those few words, and still wasn’t happy with them. But they were the best he could do.

Underneath were some map co-ordinates, and a date and time. Today’s date.

There was a little ruined house up on a hill a mile or so from Sanctuary. He and Nora had passed by it once, and she’d remarked that she had always liked that house before the war. Such lovely views, she’d said. Danse couldn’t do much to make the views lovely again, but that afternoon he trekked up there and positioned the old couch so it looked out through the ruined western wall. He had timed the encounter so they could watch the sunset together.

There was an old stove that was dented but still functional, so he gathered wood and lit a fire. He cleared as much debris as he could before stepping out of his power armour and sitting down to wait.

No flowers this time. Just him. If she turned up, she would understand. He was still nervous as hell, palms sweating in the gloves of his Brotherhood uniform.

The rendezvous time came and went. The sky turned red and orange over the hills. Danse stoked the fire, just in case, then watched the sun sink beyond the horizon. By the time darkness had fallen, he conceded defeat. He climbed back into his armour and headed home.

Perhaps he had worded it wrong. Either she hadn’t realised who the message was from, and hadn’t wanted to risk running into a stranger... Or she had known _exactly_ who it was from. She was probably embarrassed by his attentions.

He entered Sanctuary with a heavy heart. He had hoped to avoid the others and head straight for his bed, but Nora stepped out of her house as he was passing.

“Danse, there you are! Where have you been?”

She steered him into her living room, where MacCready was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by piles of greasy ammunition and weaponry. Dogmeat was inspecting it all with twitching nose.

“Check this out! There’s at least a couple thousand caps’ worth here.” Nora grinned up at him, eyes bright in her dirty, dust-smeared face. “Nick’s article was right on the money. Literally.”

“Article?” Danse choked.

“Yeah, the one he showed me this morning.” She pulled a tattered newsprint page from her back pocket and held it out to him.

_‘Mirelurk Mathis’ Gang Sunk?,_ the headline read. Danse took the page from her and scanned it. Sully Mathis’ raider gang, who had occupied a nearby quarry, had succumbed to in-fighting and wiped themselves out when grenades had triggered a rock fall.

The page had been torn across the middle. Only a few letters of Danse’s _Lady in Blue_ ad remained on the ragged bottom edge.

“I wanted to take you with me to help with the loot, but you vanished right after breakfast. Luckily MacCready was around.”

MacCready smirked at him from across the room. “You snooze, you lose, big man.”

The paper crumpled in Danse’s fist. He forced a tight smile onto his face. “Outstanding.”


	3. Danse Has Talent, by Morninglight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Danse canonically likes bluegrass and in my head, he sings like the country singer Josh Turner.

 

Nick Valentine actually facepalmed, tattered face meeting skeletal hand, as Danse related his latest romantic woe. It was comforting to know the detective was in his corner even if he was alternating between amusement and exasperation at the soldier’s attempts at wooing the elusive Nora.

            Finally, Nick lifted his face from his hand. “Alright, Nora’s a classy dame,” he said as he lit up a cigarette. “How about some music?”

            Danse’s face lit up. Music? Of course. Music transcended all boundaries and he could actually play the banjo. And there was a song that suited Nora to a tee in his favourite style, country and bluegrass.

            “I have just the song!” he declared. “Nick, you’re a genius!”

…

Trashcan Carla promised him that the banjo was in near-perfect condition. Danse practiced with the instrument for a few days before leaving it on the bed he used when in Sanctuary because he and Nora had to go somewhere.

            The mission was a success and he felt happy. Being in Nora’s company always brightened his day. “So, I was thinking, we should have a talent night where everyone performs something,” he suggested as they lumbered back to Sanctuary in their power armour suits.

            “Danse, that’s a wonderful idea!” Nora’s smile reached her eyes and the soldier allowed himself to imagine the expression on her face as she realised that there was someone who loved her in this world.

            They spoke to everyone and it was agreed to hold the first annual Sanctuary Talent Night two days hence in the house they used for town gatherings. Danse practiced with his banjo and then hid it because Deacon and Hancock had warped senses of humour – they’d steal it just to screw with him.

            It rained the morning of the talent show and Danse was caught under a cloudburst as he hurried home. Then his armour needed to be scoured out and by the afternoon, he was suffering a runny nose and scratchy throat. But the Paladin wouldn’t be deterred from his mission of declaring his love for Nora in front of everyone.

            Then he remembered that he’d hidden the banjo in a box of junk. Hurrying outside to rescue his precious instrument, the soldier discovered Dogmeat chewing on the wooden bit, the rest currently being sorted into scrap by Nora’s clever fingers. “The steel strings are perfect for tying the tarps into place,” she announced cheerfully.

            Danse went to utter a protest. But all came out was an inarticulate croak. The cold had descended upon him in full force.

            So it was that Danse found himself wrapped up in bed by the fire, not allowed near anyone else in case they caught his cold, and listened to the others have a grand old time. Apparently Hancock won for his impersonation of Elder Maxson breaking wind. Or so the ghoul claimed. Nora laughed until she nearly choked and had to have her back patted by Curie.

            Truly, the imp of the perverse was upon him in this endeavour.


	4. Danse has Coffee by syrenpan

First light filtered in through the broken boards that barred his window in Sanctuary. The sun would come up soon. Danse flopped onto his back and sighed. It had been three days since talent night and he had spent pretty much the entire time confined in bed to get over that stupid cold.

He hadn’t seen Nora at all. It was hopeless. Nursing his sore throat and wounded pride, Danse had wallowed in self-pity until Valentine had stopped by and informed him she had taken MacCready, _MacCready_ _–_ _again_ , to check out a new potential settlement location.

“Besides, we are not supposed to get close to you, Doctor’s orders," Nick had said with a wink. “Oh, come on, soldier. Chin up, if I were in your shoes, I would give the romantic approach another chance.”

That had been two days ago. Two days of lying here while MacCready got to watch Nora’s back.

“Yeah, I bet he is watching her back, that insubordinate… civilian,” Danse muttered, trying to picture the sniper missing his footing while ogling Nora’s backside and falling into a pit full of rabid mole rats.

It didn’t help.

He should be out there protecting her not that foul-mouthed manchild. The cold was gone anyway. Maybe if he got his Power Armor into shape, he could go after them and…

”And then what? Tell me, what should I do?” Danse asked the Dogmeat shaped water stain on the ceiling. Three days of nothing but thinking about her and he still had no idea how to tell Nora how he felt.

“Oh, I don’t know. How about have a coffee with me?”

Danse flinched like a child caught with his hand in the sugar bomb box. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks and hoped that the dim light would hide his embarrassment. Nora stood in the door to his bedroom. She was wearing her Vault suit: a beautiful curvy outline in the twilight.

His heart skipped a beat. Nora, I missed you. Are you ok? When did you get back? You look beautiful. The words flitted through his mind like lighting but what came out of his mouth was, “What are you doing here?”

She cocked her head to one side and said, “Well, I got back an hour ago. I had a wash and now I need coffee. Everyone else is either on watch or asleep. So, come on. You must be sick from being sick in here if you’re talking to the ceiling.”

“Oh, you heard that?”

“We all have our idiosyncrasies, Danse. Don’t worry, we know you’re talking to your imaginary puppy. It’s cute,” Nora said as she turned to leave.

“Who is we?” Danse asked alarmed.

She popped her head back, teeth gleaming, “Everyone.”

“...outstanding,” Danse sighed, raking his hands through his already disheveled hair before he rolled out of bed to join her outside. The scent of freshly brewed coffee hit him when he padded barefoot onto the deserted porch.

“Nora?”

“I’m up here,” she replied.

He climbed the wooden steps that lead onto the roof over Sanctuary’s workbench. Nora was sitting with her legs tucked under her on the red sofa he had helped wrestle out of her house.

When he had asked why she had wanted to do this, she had smiled and said, “It’s going to be my nest.” When Danse had raised an eye-brow, she had explained, “My safe place where I can sit still and be myself.” He had nodded although it had made little sense to him then.

“Here,” Nora said and handed him a mug of steaming coffee. Their fingers touched, making him shiver and spill half the content onto the floor.

“Uhm, thanks,” Danse said quickly, taking a sip and burning his tongue on the piping hot beverage in the process.

“Are you okay?” Nora asked, chuckling.

“Yeah…,” he felt like a fool, standing barefoot in a white t-shirt and black cotton trousers in the cold air while the woman he tried to woo watched him being a clumsy idiot. Well done, soldier.

Nora cleared her throat, probably stifling a laugh, before she said, “Hey, Danse.”

“Yes,” he replied, his eyes fixed on the coffee spill on the floor.

“Come sit with me for a bit.”

Danse looked up. She wasn’t laughing. Not at all. She just smiled and patted the sofa next to her. He sat down – not too close – and took another more careful sip this time.

“This is strong. Isn’t this going to keep you awake?”

“I was too excited to get back home. I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway,” she replied while looking into the depth of her own mug.

Danse glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The coffee seemed to warm her cheeks, they looked pink in the ever increasing light.

“The sun is coming up,” Nora said, her eyes turning to the horizon. “I love this time of day when the sky is different shades of blue.”

“Technically, we can’t really see the sunrise from here. The sofa is facing the wrong direction,” Danse said and then scooted closer to pat Nora on the back as she choked on her coffee.

“Are you all right?”

Nora coughed and chuckled, “Oh Danse, please, don’t ever change.”

“I wasn’t...”

Her face was right in front of him. He could smell the soap she had used to freshen up after two days in the field before she had dressed in the suit he had first seen her in, all those weeks ago in Cambridge when she had saved his life. They were here, alone, for the first time in weeks, in the one place she considered her personal sanctuary, watching the sunrise.

“Nora, I...”

“There you are, almost thought you’d forgot about me.” MacCready’s head appeared over the edge of the roof.

MacCready had to die.

Nora jumped up, accidentally, knocking the mug out of Danse’s hand. There wasn’t enough coffee left to do real damage but the coffee was still very hot.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

Danse forced himself to smile when he said, “It’s fine.”

“You might want to change your trousers, Danse. Wouldn’t want you to catch another cold now, would we? Nora, are you coming, you said you would help with the thing.”

“Right. Right. Be right down,” Nora replied before she turned to Danse and mouthed another, “Sorry,” at him before she followed MacCready down the stairs.


	5. Danse Gets a Surprise!   by Katlen

 

 

The spilled coffee turned from warm to junk freezing cold very quickly and Danse went to his room to change.  _Damn, that stupid man child,_  he thought, pawing through his dresser for clean pants.

  
He really needed to die... Or just go away.. That would work in his mind.

  
He sat down on his bed, dragging his hand through his hair just as there was a knock in his door. He had pushed the door closed behind him when he came in, but it hadn't latched, so now it swung open to reveal Nora, _of course_ standing there.

  
He pulled the clean pants into his lap quickly trying to hide the fact that he was nearly naked.

“I--I'm not dressed,” he said quickly as she walked into his room.

“I was able to stall Mac for a few minutes,” she said, still walking toward him.

 

This...is inappropriate,” he mumbled, his face crimson, as she leaned over him.

 

He was acutely aware of the scent of her soap and the smooth glow of her skin, but the look in her eyes stopped his heart.

She cupped the back of his head in one hand and Danse felt goosebumps rise across his shoulders and back. He opened his mouth to protest once more and that's when her mouth covered his.

He groaned quietly against her lips as her tongue darted into his mouth. She was sweet honey and warm sunlight against his tongue. His hands cupped her face gently, pants completely forgotten, as he held her still.

 _I might only have one chance at this, I've got to make it good_ , he thought desperately.

He couldn't concentrate. All he could do right now was feel her. She surrounded his senses. The taste of her lips was everything he dreamed and more. His hands moved from from her face to her shoulders, pulling her onto his lap.

She sat on his lap, her face just above his, and broke the kiss for a moment.

Everything he had tried to say the last few days came rushing out.

“I want to be alone with you. I want to spend time with you. Let you get to know me, as a man.” he whispered, looking up at her.

 

Her eyes shined brightly in the early morning light, and when she smiled at him she shone brighter than the sun itself.

She nodded, then leaned close to plant a warm soft kiss against his neck.

“Nora,” he groaned softly, feeling himself harden against her lap. “I...” she nipped and sucked a tender spot delicately, sending a strong current of desire rushing through his body as she marked his flesh.

“We.. don't have.. to,” he whispered raggedly, actually starting to tremble from the intensity of her touch.

She pulled away quickly, looking at him in confusion.

“You don't want to?” she asked with a quizzical look.

“Oh, God.. I want to.. I want to more than you know. But I don't want it to be like this, quick or rushed. You deserve better than that.” He pressed his forehead against her shoulder, trying to slow his heartbeat and his breath. When he had a tenuous hold on himself, he looked up at her face.

He never expected to see what he did.

The desire that heated her gaze just moments before had slipped away, replaced by an expression of wonder.

“Please understand,” he begged, searching that soft expression in her eyes.

She smiled and nodded before saying, “Do you have any idea how sweet you are?”

“I don't feel very sweet right now. I feel like a half naked man with a beautiful woman on his lap. Keeping my... urges.. in check, is not getting any easier.” he groaned.

“I guess I should move, huh?” she asked with a tiny smile.

“Yes,” Danse said, shaking his head NO at the same time.

Nora laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. Danse hummed from deep within his chest, a rumble close to a growl. He was starting to break out in a fine sheen of sweat as he struggled to keep control.

“Would you come to my home tonight, for dinner and...” she whispered against his cheek.

“I—I would love to,” he groaned, nuzzling her hair and neck.

He almost felt lightheaded, as he held her, rubbing his cheek against her just to feel her smooth skin.

“I'll go then,” she said with a weak smile.

“Alright,” he answered, feeling the loss of her already.

She got up off his lap and bent to pick up his pants that had fallen to the floor. She couldn't help but sneak a glance at his lap. Tonight would be very interesting to say the least.

She handed them to him, letting her eyes drift to his groin once more. Danse might have blushed deeper, but he didn't try to hide.

“You are full of surprises, aren't you?” she said with a sigh.

Danse actually chuckled at that, even though he had to look away in embarrassment.

“Tonight.” he said firmly.

“Tonight,” she grinned, backing out of the door.

When she pulled the door closed behind herself, he flopped back on his bed with a huge smile.

He relived every moment of her kiss in slow detail, her scent, her taste. He took a deep breath and reached down to rub one hand across his aching erection.

She had come in to his room and kissed him. Good God, how she kissed him, and the feel of her perfectly shaped bottom sitting on his lap. He didn't even realize his hand had slipped into his briefs, or that he was lightly stroking himself. He was too lost in the memory of that moment with her.

It wasn't hard for him to imagine her sitting naked on his lap, her thighs spread wide so he could lay back and see his cock disappear into her.

He worked his hand faster, his teeth gritted. He spit into his palm and kept his arm still and straight as he arched up, slowly fucking his fist.

“Nora,” he sighed softly, feeling his release getting closer. He rolled over quickly, keeping his fist tight around his throbbing cock. He began to move his hips slowly, Kissing her, whispering to her in his mind all the things he wanted to say so badly.

His hips pumped steadily into his fist, he could almost feel her smooth creamy thighs wrapped tightly around his hips.

“Nora,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

He couldn't scream, he couldn't shout or yell her named like he longed to, but she was the single thought in his mind when he came with a deep wracking shudder.

He slowly released his grip on his softening cock with a gentle sigh.

“Tonight,” he whispered to the empty room.

 

 

 


	6. Danse Gets Hot Under the Collar by tess1978

Danse looked across the table at Nora, who was still picking away at the last few bites of her meal. She looked so beautiful sitting there across from him, her hair shining in the candlelight, looking at him shyly from underneath her lashes. 

He couldn’t believe this evening was going so well. She’d collected plates for them from the cookhouse where they were grilling brahmin steaks and tatos today, and she even had a bottle of wine, which they had been sipping on.

Their conversation had been going well, and Danse hadn’t embarrassed himself or her, and they had even shared a few laughs. And so when Nora asked him if he wanted to bring his glass of wine to the couch, he didn’t hesitate.

They sat on the couch, turned towards each other, just a little awkwardly. Danse finished his wine and set the glass down and Nora did the same. He only paused a second before reaching for her and pulling her gently into his arms. 

“What were you going to do at the talent show, Danse?” she asked. 

“I was going to sing a song. For you.” He felt himself flushing a little.

Nora looked up at him and smiled. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” He started humming the tune to her, and she laid her head on his chest to hear his deep voice vibrate, and her fingers twined a little in his shirt. She let out a quiet “mhmm” of approval when his song trailed off. 

His heart was pounding desperately in his chest. He couldn’t believe she was here, with him. And she seemed to like him! He tentatively reached out one hand and stroked it over her hair, and then a second time, letting his fingers comb through the soft strands. 

The third time, he tilted her head back just slightly and leaned closer. Her eyelids fluttered closed as she leaned into him in anticipation, and her moist lips parted slightly. She was so beautiful, he took an extra moment just to look at her, wanting to capture this image in his mind forever.

And then he bent his head to hers, and tasted her lips.

He slid his tongue along the seam of her mouth, and she opened just enough to slip his tongue inside. She met his tongue with her own, and their kiss gradually got more heated until he came up for air, and immediately went in for another. He trailed kisses along her jaw to her ear, and she tilted her head to the side to accommodate him. 

He found a sensitive spot just behind her ear and stayed there for a while, until it felt like she was melting into his arms. She moaned softly, and he felt her fingers at his waist, tugging his shirt out of his jeans, and then sliding underneath to touch the bare skin of his abdomen. 

He twitched in pleasure and echoed her movement, moving his hand under her shirt and savouring her soft, warm skin as he inched his hand upwards towards her breast. 

Suddenly the front door burst open and MacCready burst through, shouting.

“The cookhouse is on fire!”

Danse and Nora jumped to their feet, and rushed outside. The cookhouse was indeed on fire, black smoke pouring from the windows. 

Danse didn’t hesitate. He jumped into his power armour and ran to help. 

***

Two hours later, the fire was out. There were no injuries, aside from some minor burns, including a small one on Danse’s neck. The cookhouse was destroyed and would need to be rebuilt, but at least the fire hadn’t spread to any other buildings. 

Danse was exhausted as he stepped from his armour, brushing some ash off of it before stepping away. It was going to need a serious maintenance tomorrow but for right now, he was just too tired. He looked at his house with a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. That seemed like a long way to walk right now. 

He felt a small hand on his and looked down to see Nora looking up at him.

“Thank you,” she said. 

“You’re welcome,” he replied.


	7. Danse goes Swimming by syrenpan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Tess1978, for editing. xx

It was an hour after dawn. The clanking of the Power Armor startled a murder of crows when Paladin Danse sprinted past, never letting Dogmeat get too far ahead.

MacCready had half an hour head start but it wouldn’t do him any good in the long run. Danse grinned when he heard a heartfelt, “Fuck,” followed by a cry for help just over the edge of the next hill.

The sniper had slipped on the slope and tumbled into a waterhole. A deep waterhole.

“Nobody would ever know,” Danse muttered darkly under his breath as he watched the other man struggle.

“No-one. Ever,” the Paladin grumbled quietly, already stepping out of the Power Armor and kicking off his boots.

He had to half-carry MacCready all the way back to Sanctuary after he had fished him out and injected them both with Rad-away, all the while listening to his pleading not to hand him over to Curie when they made it back.

“This here is why you would never be able to join the Brotherhood,” Danse informed him as he shoved him into the chair the medic had prepared for the procedure.

“Like I’d want to! Why save my life only to betray me like this, fu… errr… damn tin can?” MacCready whined as he watched in horror as Hancock stepped into the room, grinning.

“I appreciate your assistance in this matter, Monsieur Hancock,” Curie lilted.

“Anything to help the man,” Hancock replied smartly.

Danse rolled his eyes, “You’re welcome, civilian,” and walked out of the building. The last thing he could hear was, “What are you …that syringe is big enough for a Yao Guai!! Ahhh.”

“Thanks for bringing him back,” Nora said with a smile. “That tooth really had to come out.”

They both listened to MacCready howl again followed by an eerie silence. Job done.

“Anything for you,” Danse replied as he stepped out of his Power Armor. “Besides, had it not been for that tooth, the cookhouse wouldn’t have burned down and we wouldn’t have been interrupted.”

Nora nodded and stepped closer to him. “Yeah, once the new cookhouse stands we have to make sure only people in good health are allowed to operate near open flame with inflammable material.”

“Speaking of heat…,” Danse began but Nora took a surprised step back. “You’re all wet!”

“My quarry was trying to drown himself in a puddle, I had to fish him out,” he deemed it permissible not to mention that he had first watched MacCready suffer for a minute or two.

Nora’s face shifted; she was giving him a calculating once over. “You can swim?’

“Affirmative. I used to scavenge when I was a kid. You could say ‘sink or swim’ was my first tenet. The best loot is usually in or near water.”

A slow smile spread over Nora’s features. “Hey Danse, do you want to get out of here?’

Danse frowned and was about to say that there was too much work to do. The cookhouse needed to be rebuilt and… The heat in Nora’s eyes made him clamp his mouth shut.

They had been rather rudely interrupted last night and been too exhausted from fighting the fire to pick up where they had left off. They had washed and dropped dead into their – separate – beds only to find out in the morning that MacCready had done a runner. Danse had gladly volunteered to chase him down.

Now, Sanctuary was awake and people were everywhere. They would not get any alone time today if they remained here, and Danse very much wanted alone time with Nora.

His conclusion must have shown on his face because she said, “Grab all the purified water and Rad-X you can find and meet me in five down by the river.”

She was already waiting for him when he arrived, still in his Power Armor and carrying a bag with the requested supplies. He looked at her expectantly and then gasped when she laughed and threw a smoke grenade that would summon a Vertibird to their location.  

At first, Danse had protested that appropriating Brotherhood resources for personal reasons was frivolous but as soon as Spectacle Island came into view, he shut up and decided to enjoy the ride.

The Vertibird landed on the beach, blessedly free of mirelurks thanks to the pulse beacon, and departed back to the Prydwen. Danse watched it take off.

When he turned back to Nora she began to unbutton her trousers. He watched in fascination as she shimmied out of them, revealing toned legs, before she walked toward the water.

She turned to face him without stopping and said, “I used to go to the pool twice a week.” She tugged the hem of her t-shirt over her head. Her beautiful breasts bounced, and Danse’s briefs got a little bit tighter.

“Come on, soldier. Time for a swim.”

Danse activated the eject button but when he stepped out of his Power Armor, it was Nora’s turn to gasp. He was wearing his underwear and a smile and nothing else.

“The suit was wet, and you seemed to be in a hurry.” Danse said with a boyish grin.

Without further ado, Nora wiggled her hips. Her knickers landed in the surf, revealing her dark pubes before she took a few more steps backwards until she was in knee-deep water. She was so beautiful. Danse dropped his own briefs before he started to run. He grabbed her around the waist and tackled her into the waves.

Laughing and spluttering, they came up for air. Danse feet reached the sandy bottom, anchoring them both as Nora wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his midriff. “I want you,” she whispered against his lips.

He didn’t dare speak because he would undoubtedly say something stupid or sappy. Instead, Danse covered Nora’s mouth with his own. He couldn’t believe how good she felt. This right here was everything he had fantasied about.

His hand cupped her breast, rolling the nipple between his fingers. She gasped into his mouth, and Danse was ready to come when she ground her ass against his cock.

“I want you inside me,” Nora whispered into his ear.

“Yes!” Danse moaned back, hand fumbling to reach his dick, to position himself, to drive into her heat. His heart was hammering in his chest, blood roaring in his ears, getting louder with…

Hold on.

Nora and Danse looked up. The Vertibird was almost above them. “No,” Nora tried to bury her face in Danse’s neck who was glaring murder at the flying machine.

The crackling sound of a loudspeaker was audible over the roar of the engines and a keen, young voice announced, “Paladin Danse. There has been a situation. Elder Maxson needs you to report in asap.”


	8. Danse Gets A Room, by Morninglight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

To say that Danse was seething the entire trip to the Prydwen was an understatement. He and Nora were finally together, _alone_ , and something had to come up that required them to attend upon Elder Maxson. If it wouldn’t be insubordination, he’d express his opinion of Arthur’s timing in less than polite terms.

            They arrived too soon and were ushered onto the command deck to be addressed by the Elder. Maxson was staring out at the ruins of Boston as he was wont to do, hands clasped behind his back, and Danse refrained from clearing his throat. He didn’t want to appear impatient to receive his orders and go somewhere else with Nora where they could be alone. Not Sanctuary though. McCready was in Sanctuary.

            Finally Arthur turned from the vista beneath him and nodded curtly to the best team on the Prydwen. “Paladin, Knight,” he greeted. “I trust I didn’t interrupt anything important?”

            _No, just me about to make love to the woman I adore,_ Danse thought sourly as Nora shook her head.

            “Ah, good. I realised I hadn’t touched base with you for a few weeks and wanted to see how you are.” Arthur gave one of his rare boyish grins. “We managed to get a load of steaks and cleared out a settlement infested with mirelurks. It’s surf and turf night.”

            The Elder interrupted Danse and Nora’s swimming for… dinner? If it wasn’t insubordination, the Paladin would respectfully inform the last Maxson where to shove his Brahmin steaks and mirelurk fillets – preferably sideways.

            But instead Danse smiled and said, “Outstanding, Elder Maxson.”

            Dinner was an intimate affair of Arthur, Danse, Nora and the rest of the senior staff, everyone exchanging jokes about Teagan’s latest drunken mishap as the procurement Proctor sat glowering at the rest of them. The Paladin yearned for the end of it so he could take Nora to his bedroom and-

            “So apparently a ghoul’s voice sounds like me breaking wind, huh?” Maxson asked Nora dryly.

            “Hancock has a crude sense of humour and likes to poke fun at authority figures,” Nora said reassuringly.

            “I think the Mayor of Goodneighbour’s just jealous I have a better coat than he,” Arthur said huffily.

            “Affirmative,” Danse confirmed. “I suffered a cold and therefore was unable to defend your honour, sir.”

            “Have you been checked out by Cade?” Arthur asked.

            “He’s _fine_ ,” Nora said, just a touch testily. It seemed the constant interruptions were driving her up the wall too.

            “Ah, that reminds me,” Arthur continued, toying with his mirelurk in butter. “I’m planning on promoting a couple people to Paladin. Nora, you’re one of them.”

            “I-I’m honoured,” Nora said, clearly rattled for a change. “But I’m honestly happy following Paladin Danse’s lead for the moment.”

            Arthur made a noise in the back of his throat. “Nonsense. You’re a proven commander. If you want to work with Danse still, I can keep you together, but it’s time you receive the rank you deserve.”

            “Yes, Elder Maxson,” Nora conceded, unable to match the Elder’s will – or saving her strength for another fight. Danse thought she’d make a wonderful Paladin and the idea of her with the appropriate paint-job on her power armour…

            “This, of course, means you two will have to share quarters. I hope that won’t be awkward.” Arthur’s voice was as bland as Brahmin cream.

            “Oh, no, definitely not,” Nora observed quietly.

            Danse was wondering if Arthur was on their side or if it was a fortunate coincidence. He wasn’t going to ask, of course. He wanted to know that he and Nora were serious before announcing anything publicly to the Brotherhood.

            After the requisite toasts, Danse and Nora fled to their quarters, only to have to wait for old Brandis to move out for the retired Paladin quarters below-deck. He was a good soldier but maddeningly slow as Nora leaned over the bed, sticking out her firm round ass, and fluffed the pillows invitingly. Danse had a raging hard-on by the time Brandis strode out, thankfully hidden by his power armour.

            Finally, the door was locked and Nora laying on the bed with a come-hither smile that had Danse all but tearing off his uniform – and hers. He was somewhere between nuzzling her nipples into stiff peaks and licking her out like a Fancy Lads Snack Cake when someone knocked on the door.

            It was Brandis and he’d forgotten the ointment Senior Scribe Neriah whipped up for his piles. Danse pulled on some pants and handed it to him, but by then the mood was well and truly killed.

            He was going to snap if they couldn’t actually have a few hours of uninterrupted time soon.


	9. Danse Gets a Break    by Katlen

 

 

 

Danse stood still in the middle of the room, his muscular body as taut as a bow string.

“What! The! Actual! Fuck!” He yelled, startling Nora, who had flopped her head down on the pillow in defeat. Danse never used language like that. Ever.

She looked at the tendons standing on his neck and his white knuckled fists and knew she had never seen him this angry.

“Take a deep breath, big guy,” she said softly.

“Does the universe just have it in for us?” he shrugged, turning to look at her.

“Breathe.” she smiled slyly. “Just breathe, Danse. We've still got the rest of the night.”

Danse closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, regaining his composure. He knew she was right, they were finally here, together, alone. He wasn't going to let anything ruin this.

“If anyone else knocks on that door...” he grumbled.

“Don't open it!” she laughed.

“You know it,” he sighed. Even his amorous mood was dulled by Brandis's second intrusion, but Danse wasn't known for giving up on anything, Nora least of all.

He looked around for a moment, then turned off the overhead light.

The light of the bedside lamp pooled a soft yellow glow around Nora's body. For a second his breath caught in his throat at how beautiful she looked bathed in just that weak half light.

He stood there looking at her and smiled. Frustration upon frustration slipped off his shoulders as he realized it didn't matter. He'd wait forever for her.

He opened the button on the soft fatigues he wore, but stopped there. On impulse he walked over and turned on the radio that sat dusty and unused on a shelf. He frowned at the music coming from it and snapped a holotape into the player instead.

This was better, soft and low. He walked back to the center of the room and held one hand out to her, motioning for her to come to him.

Nora had been watching him with her head tilted slightly to one side, but now she smiled and got up, reaching for her shirt to put on.

“Don't you dare...” Danse said thickly. “You are perfect just like you are. In every way.”

Nora blushed and walked toward him with a shy smile.

Danse wrapped one arm around her waist, and took her hand in his as he moved a little closer, just enough that her bare nipples brushed his chest hair.

He lead her slowly, in time with the music. His hand stroked her back just as hers did the same.

“I have been trying forever to get you alone, do you know that?” he half whispered, half groaned to her.

“Forever sounds like a long time,” she smiled, stepping even closer now, and wrapping both her arms around him.

“It feels like forever, but you're worth the wait.” he leaned down and kissed her temple gently.

“Mmm.. You do know I want this just as much as you do?” she whispered to him, laying her head against his lightly furred chest and sighing in contentment.

“I'm not talking about just the sex,” Danse said, cupping the back of her head in one large hand.

“Neither was I,” Nora replied evenly.

He pulled back a little and looked at her face in surprise. He leaned in to trace a soft kiss on her lips, her whispered moan tore him apart.

He picked her up in his arms, kissing her deeper, tongues teasing each other mercilessly. He backed her toward his desk, never breaking this kiss that was burning through him like a wildfire.

When he got to the desk he set her down gently, before pulling away for a breath. He stared into her eyes and gasped as he felt her hands on the front of his pants. Her fingers splayed across his hardening length, rubbing against him through the thick fabric.

He dropped his head to her ear and neck, kissing lightly and letting the heat of his breath flow over her sensitive skin. She unbuttoned the fly of his fatigues and slipped her hand inside to grasp him.

“I love your touch,” he sighed, letting his lips nibble at the pulse point of her neck as she stroked him.

“Christ Danse, you've got one hell of a...” Nora moaned.

Danse covered her mouth with his, his tongue sweeping in urgently. Hearing her say that with such desire was almost more than he could stand. He reached in and pulled her hand away.

Nora blinked at him in confusion.

“You know what out track record has been like”, he said, looking at the floor. “I'm.. a little.. hypersensitive right now. Just... know that if I embarrass myself that it is not the end of our night. Understood?”

“Understood, soldier.” she replied huskily, making goose flesh break out all over his body.

Her hands were back at his waistband immediately, sliding the fatigues down his lean hips until he stepped out of them.

Both her hands wrapped around his hard shaft, stroking in unison. He kissed her lazily while she stroked him, straining to keep his hips still. Nora moved one hand to his hip, before letting it slide around to his firm ass, dragging her nails over it lightly.

Danse lost his battle as his hips surged forward. Nora smiled to herself and did it again, a little harder and he cursed softly as he began bucking into her hand.

“You like my nails on your ass, soldier?” she whispered in his ear.

“Yes, ma'am,” Danse answered with a rusty growl, kissing her hard and still pumping into her hand steadily.

“Are you going to cum for me, Danse?” she asked, before nibbling on his earlobe.

“As many times as you want me to,” he moaned steadying himself with his hands flat on the desk.

Nora tightened her grip on him just a little, reaching down to drag her fingernails lightly over his tight scrotum.

That was Danse's undoing. With a harsh a gasp he started to cum, reaching fast to catch most of his semen in his hand. He stood trembling as Nora softly stroked him through the aftershocks of his orgasm, sliding his foreskin back and forth gently.

“Don't move,” he whispered, walking into the small bathroom and washing his hands.

When he returned Nora still sat on the desk just as he had left her. He stepped between her thighs and leaned down to lift her in his arms. He wordlessly carried her to the bed and lay her back, letting his eyes take in every curve of her shape.

He knelt by the bed, and slid his hands under his thighs, pulling her to him firmly. He leaned over her, kissing her lips before trailing down her chin to her neck.

He took his time, tasting every inch of her silky skin, letting his tongue trail over her flesh more than his lips. When he reached her nipples he found them both tautly pebbled. As he swirled his tongue around one he took her hand and guided it to his cock again.

Nora was surprised to find him almost full hard already. She closed her eyes and sighed as he worked back and forth between her aching nipples, using his tongue, lips and fingers to torture her body in the sweetest way.

His hand slipped between her thighs and he moaned against her breast at the slick welcome his fingers found there.

He slowly kissed his way down her stomach to her mons.

But Nora grabbed a handful of his hair and stopped him.

“Danse,” she said, her voice smooth but hot and demanding. “That isn't what I want right now.” She said with a squeeze to his cock.

He didn't answer with words, his surged up over her body, lifting one ankle to his shoulder, as he lined himself to her entrance.

He held the base of his cock in one hand and plunged just the head of it into her. She gasped, her back arching and then whimpered as he withdrew, only to plunge back in again a little further. She pulled at him desperately as he slowed his pace, sliding in a little further each time, but pulling all the way out before the next stroke.

Her nails raked his shoulders and upper back until Danse relented and buried himself in her all the way. They were both panting as he paused there, buried in her to the hilt.

“Tell me what you want and I'll make it happen,” he whispered raggedly, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers.

“Please... you know what I want, Danse. I want you. I need you.”

He moved in deep strokes, rolling his hips slowly and keeping his eyes locked on hers. Her eyes shined back at him in a way that made his heart ache with love for her.

One large calloused hand slid down underneath her, to cup her bottom, holding her in place for him.

She was beginning to pant and whimper on each stroke and Danse was enthralled by that tiny sound. He knew he wanted to make her sigh and whimper like that over and over.

“Danse!” she gasped suddenly, arching hard against him.

“I'm here, baby.” He groaned, thrusting harder and harder into her now. He could feel her body tighten around his and her soft cries urged him on. The tension around him didn't release and Nora cried out again and again.

“Oh, God, Danse!” she whispered. “I can't.. stop.. I can't stop.”

“I feel it, don't you ever stop..” he gasped back, the constant squeezing around his cock was unraveling him quickly.

She cried out sharply one last time and his deep voice joined her, their world turning into a blinding flash of white.

  


Ten seconds later there was a heavy knock on the door.

 

“You've got to be kidding me,” Danse groaned, still laying on top of Nora.

 


	10. Danse Gets Lucky by Fancy Lads Snacks

Elder Maxson stood in the hallway holding a pillow.

Danse blinked at him in confusion. “How can I help you, sir?” He was painfully aware of the sweat trickling down his bare chest. His hair must be a wreck from Nora running her hands through it.

Maxson cleared his throat. “Paladin.” He paused and cleared his throat again. His face bore an expression of deep discomfort and the tips of his ears were scarlet. Danse had never seen his commanding officer at such a loss for words. After a moment Maxson held out the pillow.

“Air vent,” he said through gritted teeth.

Danse took the pillow and blinked a couple more times, then felt his own face—already hot from sex—turning a livid crimson as the Elder’s meaning sank in. He heard a snorting noise and glanced to his left just in time to see a couple of heads vanish around the end of the corridor. Across the way, Lancer Captain Kells stood in the doorway to his quarters studying a clipboard. Upon closer inspection, his shoulders appeared to be shaking with barely controlled mirth. An echo of laughter reached Danse from somewhere deeper in the belly of the ship.

“Thank you, sir,” Danse choked out.

“Good night, Paladin,” Maxson said stiffly, then turned and stalked back toward his own quarters.

“What the hell did he—” Nora began the moment the door had closed again, but hushed immediately when Danse held a finger to his lips.

He carried the pillow over to the corner of the room and bent to shove it over the square vent set a few inches above the floor. As an extra precaution, he took all the bedding from Paladin Brandis’ bunk and heaped it on top for good measure.

He sat back on the floor and sighed.

“Do I even want to know?” Nora asked.

“Probably not.”

He glanced over at where she lay on her side in the lamp light. Her soft body was flushed from their lovemaking and her hair tousled and damp. She was the loveliest thing he had ever seen.

He pointed into the corner of the room. “The ventilation system on the Prydwen is very efficient,” he explained. “Unfortunately, it carries sound as effectively as it does air.”

Nora’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” He rapped his knuckles against the wall beside him and it rang like a bell. It wouldn’t hurt for the Brotherhood to accept that not _everything_ had to be built from steel.

“How far?” she whispered. “Who heard us?”

“Potentially... everyone on the entire ship.”

Nora slapped a hand over her mouth in horror. After a moment her shoulders began to hitch with laughter.

“This isn’t funny,” Danse chided, but the corners of his mouth were already tilting up at the sight of her. Before he could help himself he was laughing too, and he crawled over to his bed to wrap his arms around her. They lay for several minutes in a shaking, hysterical heap.

“How humiliating,” he groaned, face pressed to her smooth flank.

“Danse,” Nora replied. She pulled his head up and looked into his eyes. “The entire ship just heard you giving me a mind-shattering multiple orgasm. I’d hardly call that humiliating.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Mind-shattering?”

“Uh huh.”

He crawled his way up her body until she was flat on her back beneath him, thighs parted around his waist. “Sounds like I’ve given myself quite a lot to live up to,” he said, and dipped his head to kiss her long and slow.

“I believe in you,” she purred.

Her hands trailed up his sides, making his breath hitch when she found the sensitive spot under his ribs. She stroked down his back and dipped under the waistband of his pants to dig her fingers into his ass. Danse hummed against her mouth when she bucked her hips up against him.

“Isn’t your mind too shattered for any more right now?” he teased, resting his weight on one arm so he could slide the other hand between her legs. She moaned and arched into his touch.

“You promised me you could come as many times as I wanted you to,” she replied. She reached for the front of his pants and started to unzip them. “And it wasn’t just _me_ who heard it. The whole Brotherhood is counting on you, Paladin.”

They swallowed up the other’s gasps as they stroked each other, then with a hungry growl Danse wrapped his arms around her and sat back on his heels, pulling her with him. He watched the look in her eyes go to liquid heat as he thrust inside her. For a moment he just held her there, staring into her flushed, beautiful face and enjoying the million sensations of finally being here with her, alone, wrapped together more intimately than he could have dreamed of mere days ago. He had never felt so lucky. He lifted her in his strong arms and watched her eyes slide closed and her lips part as he began to slam into her in earnest.

As Nora’s cries rang out into the room, Danse wondered how good a job his sound insulation was doing. After a moment, he decided he didn’t care.

*

Breakfast the following morning was a surprisingly subdued affair. The two of them suspected that an order had come through from the Elder himself that no one was to speak of _That Night_ , because they only caught the occasional knowing glance or stifled laugh. It was never spoken of again. Still, Danse didn’t fail to notice that from that day on, his shipmates would occasionally refer to him as Paladin Don’t Stop.

Back in Sanctuary, they could be more open about their relationship. Establishing some privacy was a must after the trials they had gone through to have time alone. Whenever the red bandana was hung from the handle of Nora’s front door, all the other residents knew that it was Date Night.

And they had learned—some of them the hard way—that on Date Night, Nora and Danse were _not_ to be disturbed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fancy: And it's a wrap!! Thanks so much everyone for the supportive comments and noises of anguish! Hope we took good enough care of the poor tin can after being so mean to him. We all had a blast writing this together and hope to do another joint story in future. If there's something you'd love to see us write you can shoot any of us a message on Tumblr.
> 
> Morninglight: It's been a pleasure writing you folks and I hope to do it again. Thanks for reading, reviewing and the kudos, audience!
> 
> Tess1978: This was an absolute blast to write, and getting to know my co-authors a bit, and I'm really hoping to do this again someday soon. Thanks for all the positive responses... and for the All Caps ones too. Special shoutout to Katlen for the original idea to team up!
> 
> Katlen : You guys have no clue what a blast this was to do. We would have no idea what setting, events or direction the story was going until we read the last chapter posted here. This was writing on the fly... I can't believe I had the honor to confab with writers of this caliber. Ladies, you are all artists in your own respect and I salute you. Ad Victoriam!
> 
> Syrenpan: This was so much fun. Thank you to all the readers and reviewers, you rock. Thank you to the crew for inviting me. Until next time. xx


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